Taskrabbit Survey Reveals America’s Dirty Secrets About Cleaning

SAN FRANCISCO, July 17, 2019 -- Taskrabbit, the on-demand network that conveniently connects people with “Taskers” to handle everyday to-dos and home improvement tasks, today released the results of a survey conducted in partnership with Wakefield Research that reveals America’s messy relationship with household chores. Taskrabbit surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults aged 18+ and asked about how they feel about routine cleaning and maintenance, and they weren’t shy with their responses.

It's all Fun and Games — Until it's Time to Fold a Fitted Sheet

Nearly half (46%) of Americans have gotten into an argument with a roommate, friend, family member or significant other over “the right way” to clean things -- and a whopping 78% have had a fight about household chores in general.

The findings also highlighted that core household chores proved unpleasant for many Americans, with distastes for laundry (31%), vacuuming (31%), and simple replacement tasks such as changing a light bulb (23%) standing out among those surveyed. Most surprising, however, was how often Americans see chores as a source of interpersonal conflict. Arguments about best methods have also spilled into other areas, with 27% reporting heated debated about the right way to assemble furniture, and 23% struggling to find common ground on the best way to fold laundry.

Frustrations also mounted in getting others to do their fair share with nearly a third of those surveyed (30%) having argued about clearing the shower drain, and 41% have argued about the need to declutter and get rid of things. This latter problem is more prominent in those in committed relationships (45%) than those who are unmarried and uncommitted (30%), suggesting shared ownership of objects can lead to greater tension when it’s time to throw out old junk.

All’s Fair in Love and Cleaning The Bathroom

Additionally, the results showed that few Americans are actually enjoying the act of keeping things fresh and tidy. Cleaning the bathroom proved to be the most despised of all chores, with 63% of respondents saying how much they disliked it. Other pain points included a dislike of yard work (43%) and cleaning up after pets (42%).

“The only thing people seem to like less than a messy, disorganized home is the time-consuming task of cleaning it,” said Sarah Rose, President and Chief Product Officer of Taskrabbit. “For more than a decade Taskrabbit has been connecting homeowners and renters with trusted and reliable Taskers, making everyday life easier and allowing them to spend more quality time with friends and family doing the things they enjoy most.”

Even Keeping Up with The Kardashians is Hard Work!

Today’s survey results also reveal that Americans aren’t resistant to the idea of soliciting outside help. When it comes to tackling life’s more mundane tasks, 27% believe that they’re more likely to complete a marathon than to successfully assemble a piece of furniture by themselves. In fact, a sizable number of those surveyed said they’d rather pay someone else to do jobs that cause them grief, including last-minute gift shopping (29%), untangling Christmas lights or jewelry (27%) and, waiting in a long line, such as for a table at a popular restaurant (35%).

Even activities that were generally thought of as fun are fair game for outsourcing: 34% of Millennials and Gen Zers surveyed said they’d be willing to pay someone to act as their personal Instagram photographer. Turns out keeping up with the Kardashians is even more work than it seems.

The release of these survey results follows the recent launch of Taskrabbit’s ‘Task and You Shall Receive’ campaign, helping busy people realize the satisfaction of a job well done, even when they aren’t the ones doing it.

To book a Tasker in your region, visit the website www.taskrabbit.com or download the Taskrabbit app from the App Store (iOS and Android). To become a Tasker, visit join.taskrabbit.com to sign up or learn more about finding meaningful and flexible work on your own terms.

About Taskrabbit

Taskrabbit is a leading task management network that conveniently connects people with Taskers to handle everyday home to-do’s, such as furniture assembly, handyman work, moving help, and much more. Acquired by IKEA Group in 2017, Taskrabbit operates in more than 50 markets across the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Canada, and is headquartered in San Francisco.

To find out more, please visit www.taskrabbit.com, @Taskrabbit on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest and YouTube.

Media Contacts

Lizi Sprague, Consort Partners for Taskrabbit Press@taskrabbit.com